NIT League opposes security requirements for foreign ships

NIT League opposes security requirements for foreign ships    The National Industrial Transportation League told House-Senate conferees it opposes a provision in the House-passed U.S. Coast Guard Authorization measure that would require the Coast Guard to approve all security plans for foreign-flag vessels that call at U.S. ports.
   A stipulation contained in the House language would require Coast Guard approval of security plans filed by foreign-flag ships prior to their arrival at U.S. ports. “This responsibility would be in addition to international security requirements that go into effect July 1 under the International Maritime Organization’s International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) Code,” the NIT League said in a statement.
   “To add an additional requirement to the Coast Guard’s long list of current responsibilities as proposed in the House provision will only have the effect of delaying necessary shipments, resulting in unnecessarily higher prices to consumers and making U.S. products less competitive,” said Peter Gatti, executive vice president of the NIT League, in a letter to the Congressional conferees.